News
Taiwan marks World Environment Day
President Tsai Ing-wen marked World Environment Day by reiterating her administration's commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Tsai says the government is seeking to add a series of enforcement rules to the Climate Change Response Act so that when it is enacted, it will help the government achieve its three-pronged approach to ensuring net zero emissions by 2020. That three-pronged approach includes carbon trading, incremental offsets and voluntary reductions in emissions.
During a meeting with representatives of environmental protection groups, Tsai said the government will continue to improve the resilience of Taiwan's power grid, and it would install more energy storage facilities to ensure the stable supply of power.
Tsai touted the government's moves to become more reliant on renewable energy - saying that the installation of new wind power and solar energy systems hit single-year highs last year and generated 14 terawatt-hours of power.
And the president stressed that renewable energy generated power has now surpassed that of the island's nuclear power plants.
Non-governmental groups have met with President Tsai today, to suggest a multitude of solutions for local issues. A total of 12 environmental and civic groups met with President Tsai Ing-wen for World Environment Day today, to propose measures addressing a record-high 83 current issues in Taiwan, related to energy, the environment, and animal protection.
Proposals related to energy call on Taiwan's government to enact legislation to deal with nuclear waste, transform Keelung's Xie-He power plant into a renewable energy power plant, and charge carbon emission fees upstream of greenhouse gas emitters.
Animal welfare groups also called on the government to ban a number of cruel animal trapping tools, regulate pet ownership in apartment complexes, and promote the humane care of livestock and poultry.
